Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hire the Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem in my case?No. We have to be appointed by an order of the court. You can ask the court and/or your attorney to have us appointed in your case. A copy of the Order appointing Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem Institute can be found here.

Do you offer legal services to the general public?Yes! But we have to be appointed by an order of the court and a family must qualify financially to receive our services.

What is the financial qualification for Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem Institute to be appointed as GAL in my case?To qualify financially for a court to appoint the Institute as the guardian ad litem for children in a custody case, the combined gross (before taxes - not take home pay) yearly income for both parents' households and resources must be $75,000.00 per year or less. If both parents combined household gross yearly income is under $75,000, but the parents have access to other financial resources (such as other family members) to pay for attorneys and other living expenses, those resources will also be taken into consideration in the evaluation of financial qualification for our services.

Once an order has been entered to appoint the Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem Institute in a case, what happens next?Unfortunately, the courts do not send us orders once they are entered or even notify us that we have been appointed in a case. Therefore, someone in the case must send us a filed copy of the order appointing us or we will not know that we are appointed. Once we receive a filed copy of the order appointing us, we will send out a welcome and instruction letter within a week to the attorneys in the case, or if a party does not have an attorney, to the unrepresented party, which will let you know what you need to do next. Each party will need to fill out and submit our on-line intake form. Once we receive your intake form, we will contact you within a week to schedule an appointment to meet with the guardian ad litem assigned to your case.

What areas of Oklahoma do you serve?We serve all of Oklahoma!

How are you funded?We are a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is funded entirely by private donations, grants, and community service projects. As such, all donations are tax deductible! Click here to donate today!

How is my donation being used?Your donations directly benefit the children of Oklahoma involved in litigation regarding their care and custody, both through attorney representation as guardians ad litem in family law courts and by educating and training other court experts dealing with child custody and visitation issues.

What is the difference between Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem Institute and other organizations, such as Oklahoma Lawyers For Children and CASA?All of these organizations have the same mission of serving children involved in court battles, but Oklahoma Lawyers For Children and CASA advocate for children in the juvenile court system where children are in the custody of DHS. We do not provide that kind of representation. We are attorneys who represent children who are in the middle of custody and visitation battles in the family court system, who are not currently in DHS custody, and need to have a voice in what happens to them. Our purpose is to fill the huge gap of children who need and deserve representation in court proceedings and are not currently in DHS custody. Oklahoma Lawyers for Children and CASA serve a great purpose of giving voices to children in the juvenile court system. Our goal is to serve that same purpose in family law courts.

Why does a child need a lawyer or guardian ad litem?Oklahoma law provides as follows:In any proceeding when the custody or visitation of a minor child or children is contested by any party, the court may appoint an attorney at law as guardian ad litem upon motion of the court or upon application of any party to appear for and represent the minor children.

​The guardian ad litem may be appointed to objectively advocate on behalf of the child and act as an officer of the court to investigate all matters concerning the best interests of the child. In addition to other duties required by the court and as specified by the court, a guardian ad litem shall have the following responsibilities:

review documents, reports, records and other information relevant to the case;

meet with and observe the child in appropriate settings;

interview parents, caregivers and health care providers and any other person with knowledge relevant to the case including, but not limited to, teachers, counselors and child care providers;

advocate for the best interests of the child by participating in the case, attending any hearings in the matter and advocating for appropriate services for the child when necessary;

monitor the best interests of the child throughout any judicial proceeding; and

present written reports to the parties and court on the best interests of the child.

​In many cases, children do not get these services because their parents and/or other family members cannot afford to hire private attorneys for themselves, as well as another private attorney for their children. Children in a custody or visitation proceeding deserve this representation, regardless of the financial resources of their parents or other family members.

At what age can a child decide where they live and how often they see a parent?Under Oklahoma law, "child may express a preference as to which of the parents the child wishes to have custody or limits to or periods of visitation" if the court determines that "the best interest of the child will be served by allowing the child to express a preference" and "if the child is of a sufficient age to form an intelligent preference". The law states that a child who is 12 years old or older is presumed to be of sufficient age to form an intelligent preference. Once a court determines that a child is of a sufficient age to form an intelligent preference and the child's best interest will be served by allowing the child to express a preference, the court must consider the expression of preference, but the law specifically provides that a court is NOT "bound by the child's choice or wishes and shall take all factors into consideration in awarding custody or limits of or period of visitation." So, children do not get to "decide" where they live or how often they see a parent, at any age prior to adulthood. That is always a decision that is ultimately left to the court system when parents cannot agree.

The Oklahoma Guardian Ad Litem Institute is an IRS recognized non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.**You do not have to have a PayPal account to donate**